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Dr Gavin Sandercock, from the Centre for Sports and Exercise Science, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex said 'If they are the same weight but can't run as fast or as far it's because they are less fit, and the reason is they are less active.

'Children are not doing as much physical activities as before. They are using their spare time to play more computer games, more time watching TV, or more time online.

'They don't climb trees any more, they don't use their bikes any more. They are just getting inactive.

'I read last week that Britain is highly up-to-date with technology, with more computers-per-household than anywhere else in Europe - but that means our kids are playing more computers.

'The drop in fitness is very, very large. We look at what we call 'screen time', which is how long children spend watching TV, on the internet, watching DVDs and so on.

'Screen time is going up and up - with kids spending an average of between two and four hours every day. If you think they are awake for 16 hours, that's a quarter of the day.

It doesn't leave much time to do anything else.' More than 600 ten year olds were assessed for their weight, using Body Mass Index (BMI) scores, and cardiorespiratory fitness.

They were living in Chelmsford, Essex, which has low levels of deprivation and ranks among the top 20 per cent most affluent areas of the UK.

In 1998, 303 ten year olds from six schools in the county were weighed and underwent a 20 metre shuttle run test to assess their fitness levels.

A decade later a further 315 ten year olds underwent the same assessments. Over the decade, the girls' BMI did not change, but average weight among the boys rose slightly.

But cardiorespiratory fitness levels fell significantly in both boys, who had a 7 per cent drop, and girls, who went down 9 per cent - equivalent to a 0.8 per cent average rate of decline per year.

Based on global trends, the authors predicted a 0.4 per cent fall.

Their findings back up previous research, which suggest English children's cardio-respiratory fitness is falling at twice the predicted global average rate.

The authors say cardiorespiratory fitness may be more important than BMI for kids' health, because fitness lessens the chances of the serious health problems and death associated with obesity.

British researchers last year found the true level of exercise by children was around six times lower than suggested by questionnaires filled in by parents.

Guidelines recommend children undertake at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day, including taking part in sports, brisk walking and running.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said 'These findings send a very powerful message out about the risks of inactivity and lack of exercise.

'The health consequences for the Playstation generation could be disastrous.

'This analysis makes it clear that those risks go beyond the danger of obesity.

'We need a major effort to get youngsters active again and help to reverse this worrying decline in fitness levels.

'Ministers should make a commitment to ensure that the legacy of the Olympics will be managing to reverse this disturbing trend.'